Writing The Wrongs
by NatesMama
Summary: A series of one-shots based on Season 5. How each episode *should* have ended. Changed from an M to a T rating, I decided to keep to network standards, for the most part.
1. Harbingers in a Fountain

These will be self-contained one shots to accompany every episode of Season 5. They will be a continuation of each episode…how *I* think the episode should have ended.

Fair warning, I am a hardcore shipper.

Spoilers within. And I don't own Bones. If I did, that whole Angela/Wendell thing would NOT be happening.

* * *

Harbingers in the Fountain

Brennan followed Booth into his office, still trying to get him to explain Avalon's last comment. "What did she mean, Booth? What works out? Come on, you can tell me."

Booth walked around his desk and sat, absently tapping his Bobblehead Bobby. "It's hard to explain, Bones. Maybe someday. When you're ready."

"Ready for what, Booth? You are so obscure sometimes, it's frustrating." Brennan huffed, throwing herself to the chair in front of his desk.

"Bones. Seriously. Let it go." Booth stood up suddenly and walked to the door. "Want a cup of coffee?"

Brennan sighed. "Sure."

Booth nodded and headed off to the pantry. While he was gone, Brennan's eyes wandered around the office, looking at all of Booth's commendations and awards. Her gaze fell to his desk, where an unmarked folder sat next to his computer.

Looking behind her and seeing no sign of Booth, she ignored the twitch of conscience she felt about snooping and snatched up the folder, flipping it open quickly. Inside were scans of a brain, color-coded and labeled. At the top of each scan were the words "Booth, Seeley: Pre and Post-Operative scans". Brennan wondered why he had these particular scans handy and sitting right on top of his paperwork. She could tell by looking that there was no mass showing on the post-op scan, so she wasn't worried. But she had a feeling that something in the scan had Booth worried. A throat clearing brought her out of her reverie.

"Find something interesting to look at, Bones?"

Brennan had the good grace to flush as she closed the folder and placed it back where she found it. "I'm sorry, Booth. I had no right to-"

"No, it's okay. Really." Booth walked around the desk again, setting the coffee cups down and picking up the scans. "Maybe I should show these to you."

"What are they, exactly? PET scans? Of your brain?"

"Something Sweets gave me." Booth pointed to the brightly colored part of the first scan. "See this spot here, where it's lightly colored? Apparently, that is the part of the brain that recognizes love. This was the scan that was taken before my surgery." He handed her the second scan, much more brightly colored than the first. "This scan is supposed to have been taken while I was in the coma. See where the part that expresses love is lit up like a Christmas tree?" Brennan nodded, a confused look on her face. Booth held up the third scan. "And this one was taken after I woke up. See? Brighter than the first but lighter than the second. Understand?"

"So according to Sweets, you were not in love before your surgery, you were madly in love during your coma, and now you're still in love, but only as a side effect of the coma? Is that Sweets assessment?" Brennan scrunched up her face, knowing exactly what Booth was saying, and getting more and more upset with Sweets by the second.

"Pretty much, yeah. I mean, he's probably right, right? Love is nothing more than a chemical reaction in the brain, isn't it?" Booth looked to her thoughtfully, wondering why she seemed so…well, _angry_.

"Will you excuse me for a moment, Booth? I will be right back." Brennan ran out of the office and raced to the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevator.

When Brennan reached the correct floor, she hit the door running, not stopping until she got to the office she was looking for. She barged right past the secretary, and into the inner office. Dr. Sweets looked genuinely shocked to see Brennan standing there, waving the scans in her hand and breathing heavily.

"How _dare_ you!" she huffed. "I should report you to the Board for this!"

"Dr. Brennan, calm down! What are you talking about?" Sweets had seen enough of what was in her hand to get a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he continued to play dumb out of self-preservation.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! Booth isn't really in love? He's only reacting to his coma dream? You actually _told him that_?!?" Brennan was practically screaming by this point. "What kind of doctor are you? There is a reason I think psychiatry is a bunch of crap, and you are one of the main instigators! What, is this another of your experiments?"

Sweets' brain was too busy doing a complete disconnect to answer Brennan right away. He didn't know what, exactly, Booth had told her but he was fairly certain that it wasn't that the love he was supposedly feeling was for her. Somehow, however, she seemed to know anyway.

"Sweets! Are you going to answer me or do I have to go to Director Hacker?"

"Uh, yes Dr. Brennan…I mean, no. I can answer you." He stood from his chair so she wasn't looming over him so imposingly. "Listen, Agent Booth is still a bit unsure of who and what he is supposed to be. He had a very vivid dream in which he was married and expecting a child with the woman he loves, and it is only natural for him to want to carry that feeling over into his reality. However, knowing you as I do and how fragile you are towards being abandoned by loved ones; I needed Booth to see that, if these feelings are only ephemeral, he could do some serious damage to the strides you've made in becoming a more emotionally open person. The scans are true. The science bears that out. I was only looking out for both of you."

"You know something, Dr. Sweets? We don't need your help! And we certainly don't need you telling us whether we really love each other or if it's just a chemical reaction in our brains! If anyone knows the science of how those feelings are interpreted, it's me." Brennan's face softened slightly while she spoke. "But I have come to realize that not everything can be explained with science. And love is one of those things. I know-_know _that Booth loved me before his tumor, and I know that he loves me still. The physical reactions of love may show up in the brain, but love starts in the heart. Booth's heart hasn't changed. I know that better than I know the human skeletal system. So, from now on, you stay out of Booth's brain and leave him alone! Just let it go, Sweets. I can handle it from here."

Brennan spun around to stalk out the door of the office, but stopped cold when she realized that Booth was standing, stock still with a peculiar look on his face, inside the door. "Bones? Did-do you mean all that? What you said?"

Brennan sighed and closed the distance between them, placing her hands on Booth's face. "Have I ever said anything I didn't mean?"

"But Bones, you've always said that love was a che-" He stopped mid-sentence as she silenced him with a soft kiss.

"Booth. Listen to me. You're right; I think that love is a chemical reaction in the brain. Or, at least that is how it manifests itself physically. But every chemical reaction needs something to incite it, a spark. And every single day, for the last five years I have watched you use your heart to guide you, to make the most important decisions, to protect those you care about. Scans of your brain may be scientific proof that you love, but your actions are what solidify that proof. And I know that you love me, Booth. I've always known. I know your heart, because you show it me all the time. It isn't weak, it isn't tentative. It's strong and vibrant and full of so much love that even you can't hide it. I know firsthand about that powerful muscle that lies in your chest," She smiled, placing her hand over his heart, "because you gave it to me a long time ago."

Booth sighed and his shoulders sagged as if a great weight had been lifted from him. "Bones…my heart has always been yours. I'm just sorry it took me so long to say it."

Brennan wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tight. "You once said that everything happens eventually, and I took you at your word." She smiled up at him. "This time, I was just waiting for you to catch up with me."


	2. The Bond in the Boot

The Bond in the Boot

Brennan sat on Booth's kitchen floor, dripping wet, and happier than she had been in months. Sure, her Rolex was probably ruined (you'd think that as much as those suckers cost they'd at least be waterproof), but seeing the smile on Booth's face made that particular worry seem petty by comparison.

"Hold tight, Bones. I'll get some towels." Booth jumped off the floor and headed in the direction of the bathroom. While he was gone, Brennan thought back to the last few minutes. She had told Booth that they had no secrets from each other, and he had assured her of the same thing.

She knew that they both were lying their butts off.

Booth came back into the kitchen, throwing her a fluffy towel and tossing another onto the floor to sop up some of the water damage. "I really am sorry about that, Bones. I guess we need to let the cement sit awhile longer before we turn the water back on again."

"Excellent observation, Agent Booth." Brennan replied, trying not to laugh at how cute his hair looked, sticking up in all directions like one of those plastic dolls with the multi-colored hair. "How long should we wait before we try it again?"

Booth crouched down, reached under the sink, and squeezed the offending pipe. "I think we should let it set for at least an hour. Maybe more. If I need water, I can always use the tap in the bathroom."

"Booth?"

"Yeah, Bones?"

Brennan looked down at her hands, twisting in her lap. _'Chicken!'_, she told herself. "Nothing. Never mind."

"You sure?" Booth was crouching in front of her with a strange look on his face.

"No."

"No?"

"No. I'm not sure. I'm…ruminating."

"What, like a cow?"

Rolling her eyes, she jumped up and headed towards the bathroom. "Never mind, Booth."

'_What just happened?'_ He was completely confused by how she was acting. Following her down the hallway, he continued pressing.

"Bones, c'mon. What's bothering you? I can tell there's something." He stopped in front of the door, not knocking, just standing guard. "Please?"

The door flew open and Brennan jumped out and pushed against his chest, the unexpected assault sending him flying across the hall to the opposite wall with a thump.

"Oh, you can tell there's something _bothering_ me? You can? Since when? You're so damn _perceptive_, are you?" She ran into the living room and began grabbing her things, preparing to make a quick exit.

Booth stood rooted to the spot. He didn't know what had triggered this frenzied diatribe, but he was beginning to suspect the underlying reasons behind it.

"Bones."

The quietly desperate tone in his voice managed to creep through the blinding anger and stopped her cold. She turned to look at him and saw it. In his eyes, in his face…the same feelings she had been fighting for more than a year, all clearly displayed on his expressive face. It was her undoing. She plopped down on the couch and started sobbing, cries that sounded as if they were being wrenched from deep inside her, shoulders shaking and chest heaving.

He seemed to reach her side in less than two steps, grabbing her up and holding her to his chest. "Bones…Bones…don't cry. Its okay, it is. I know. I know, okay?"

Brennan lifted her head to stare at him. She sniffled, narrowing her eyes. "You know what?"

"I know why you're upset." He replied simply, as if his answer were obvious.

"You-you do?" Hope started to bloom inside her.

"I do. And I feel the same way." Booth set her down on the sofa and sat across from her on the coffee table, taking both her hands in his. "Look, Bones. We're best friends, right?" He paused while she nodded in the affirmative. "And we just got finished promising each other that there were no secrets between us, right?" Not waiting for her response, he plowed on, praying that his gut instincts were something that had survived his brain tumor. "I have been holding a big secret back from you. And I think that you have been doing the same thing."

"I have." Brennan couldn't look away from his face. His eyes seemed to be literally holding her in place.

Booth took a deep breath and decided to take the plunge. "Then, I'll go first."

He leaned forward, brushing the side of her neck with the back of his hand and sliding his fingers into her hair. With a slight tug, he pulled her close to him and brushed his lips against hers. Resting his forehead against hers, he released the breath he'd been holding and looked into her eyes.

"My turn." Brennan grabbed the back of his head and crashed her lips into him, her tongue sliding along his bottom lip and begging entrance into his mouth. She gasped as his tongue responded, running it along the roof of her mouth, the contact setting every nerve ending in her body aflame. His hands were on either side of her face, holding her in place while they plundered each other's mouths. When they broke apart, both breathing heavily, she saw the answer to all her questions in his face, in his eyes.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really, Bones. For a long time now."

"Me too."

"I know. No secrets, remember?"

"No secrets. Never again."


	3. The Plain in the Prodigy

First off, thank you for all the lovely reviews thus far. Some of you have really inspired me with your praise…and you know who you are. Thanks especially to VENZwife, who has been really supportive, and is just as much of a hardcore shipper as I am. This chapter is for her.

Second, the song depicted in this chapter is _'If Tomorrow Never Comes'_ by Garth Brooks. I've always loved it and when I sat down to think of something to write for what I consider to be one of the most well-written Bones episodes ever (no B&B shipper moments notwithstanding), that song happened to come up on my iPod…and it just seemed appropriate.

Finally, I don't own Bones. I'm just borrowing it for a bit. Don't worry, Hart. I'll have it dry cleaned before returning it.

* * *

The Plain in the Prodigy

Brennan rested her head against the glass of the car window, watching the beautiful scenery of Eastern Pennsylvania fly by in a blur of color. Ever since she and Booth had left the Yoders the DVD of their son performing, something had been bothering her. It wasn't anything about the case, she knew that. While she wasn't pleased to know that Levi Yoder had been killed for something as petty and pointless as money, at least they were able to give his parents the peace of knowing what had truly happened to him.

Maybe it was the look on Mrs. Yoder's face as she watched her only child making such beautiful sounds, knowing that she would never see him any other way again. Brennan wasn't sure, but it seemed to make her feel almost…wistful. She shook herself out of her reverie and turned to look at Booth. He was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in time to some internal song that only he could hear, and nodding his head to the beat. When she reached over to flip on the radio, his hand shot out and encircled her wrist, moving so fast she barely saw him move.

"Please, Bones. No rap, no loud rock…something soft and soothing. My nerves can't take it."

Brennan should have known, Booth always felt everything deeper than she did. "This case got to you, as well?"

Booth spared her a quick glance, huffing a breath out his nostrils. "Yeah. And I'm not entirely sure why."

"I'm glad it's not just me, then. I don't know why I feel so-" Brennan stopped. She still couldn't think of a word to describe what she was experiencing.

"Wistful?" Booth ventured, giving her another look.

Brennan supposed the shock was evident on her face, because Booth didn't wait for her to answer. "Yeah, I can't shake it, either. I mean, anytime a young person dies it is a waste. But this…killed for a couple of bucks, it's just an abomination."

"Exactly!" Brennan nodded in agreement. "That's it! I just want to punch something, you know?"

Booth laughed and nodded as well. "Yep. I definitely know that feeling."

They looked at each other for a few seconds, comforted in the fact that they weren't alone in their feelings. Brennan finally broke the eye contact and reached again for the radio. "Don't worry, nothing loud. How about that adult contemporary country station you preset for Parker?"

"Perfect." Booth agreed. "Thanks, Bones."

The continued on their drive, the soft music filling the car and lulling them both into silence, content to be left with their own thoughts. Booth, however, wasn't entirely content. He hadn't been completely honest with Brennan when he told her why he was feeling unsettled. Yes, he was disgusted with the eventual motive for killing the kid, but there was another underlying reason that he was not yet sure Bones was ready to hear.

Booth had watched Daniel Yoder's face closely as he viewed the video of his son playing piano, and while he certainly saw the love and the loss etched in the man's grief-stricken visage, what really stuck out for Booth was the man's obvious regret. Regret for letting his son leave on his Rumspringa, regret for not knowing about this beautiful, God-given talent that his child possessed, and regret for all the time they were never going to be able to spend together.

Regret. It might as well have been a four-letter word.

Booth knew he had regrets. Tons of them. The regret for not being able to spend more time with Parker, for the people he had killed…even in the line of duty, for the gambling that almost ruined him. They were things that, while not constantly on his mind still lurked there in the darkest recesses. But recently, his biggest regret had been in uttering nine little words.

'…_You know, in a professional, atta-girl kinda way.'_

Booth sighed inwardly. He had imagined that scene with Bones an entirely different way, but when he saw the look on her face he had completely chickened out. Figures. Big, bad, tough FBI agent afraid of one little forensic anthropologist. And he was. Terrified. And not just of hurting her, although that was the main reason he had kept quiet while he waited to see if Sweets' theory was correct and his brain was still messed up from the coma dream. No, he was also scared to death of getting himself hurt. And if she rejected his feelings, he knew it would destroy him. Maybe not outwardly, where just anyone could see it. But it would leave its mark on his soul, that he was sure of.

While Booth entertained his depressing inner monologue, the song on the radio changed.

_Sometimes late at night, I lie awake and watch her sleeping…_

_She's lost in peaceful dreams, so I turn out the light, and lay there in the dark._

_And the thought crosses my mind…_

_If I never wake up in the morning…_

_Would she ever doubt the way I feel about her in my heart?_

Stifling a groan, Booth looked skyward. _'Seriously?' _he thought._ 'Are you joking?'_

_If tomorrow never comes, will she know how much I loved her?_

_Did I try in every way to show her every day _

_That she's my only one?_

_And if my time on Earth were through_

_And she must face this world without me_

_Is the love I gave her in the past gonna be enough to last_

_If tomorrow never comes?_

Glancing one more time up towards the heavens, Booth shook his head, muttered "Okay, okay, I get the message…" and whipped the SUV over to the side of the road.

Brennan looked around confused. "Booth? Is something wrong with the car? Or do you just have to urinate?"

Taking a deep breath, Booth turned towards Brennan. "No, Bones. There's something I have to tell you. Right now. It can't wait."

"Now?" Brennan choked out, finally taking in the serious look on his face. "What's wrong, Booth?"

"Bones. Nothing is wrong. I just realized that life is very, very short and that we have to try and grab our happiness when and where we can. We can't let another day pass without at least trying to get what we really want out of life." And with that, Booth leaned over the center console and grabbed Brennan's shoulders, pulled her flush with his body and pressed his lips to hers.

At first, Brennan was shocked. Not by the kiss, but by the fact that it had come seemingly out of nowhere. _'Wow.'_, she thought. She barely hesitated before she threw her arms around Booth's neck and began kissing him back with delight. When he realized that she was kissing him back with the same enthusiasm, and that she was making little mewling noises, signaling that she was enjoying this as much as he was, Booth finally relaxed into the kiss.

When the need for air caused them to break apart, Booth forced himself to look directly into her eyes, hoping to see something other than anger and panic in their bright blue depths. But Brennan still had her eyes closed, a small smile gracing her features.

"Uh, Bones? You okay?" he ventured, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Brennan sighed and opened her eyes. "I am now."


	4. The Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

The Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

After dropping Brennan off at home, Booth and Parker headed back to Booth's apartment to watch some movies and hang out. Once home, Booth insisted that his son take a quick bath and get into his pj's before settling on the sofa for Parker's first choice, Toy Story.

About ten minutes in, Parker looked up at his dad, who seemed lost in thought. "Dad?"

"Yeah, Parks. What's up?"

"What did Bones mean when she said that it was inappropriate for her to be your girlfriend?" Parker couldn't understand why his dad wasn't with someone, and it especially confused him that he wasn't with someone as cool as Bones. "Does that mean that you guys don't like each other or something?"

Booth sighed, mentally kicking himself for thinking that this particular conversation was over. "No, Parker. We like each other. It's just…people who work together shouldn't date."

"But why?"

"Because we need to be professional at work. Dating would complicate that."

"But why?"

"Parker, we just can't date. End of story." Booth stood and headed towards the kitchen. "How about some popcorn?"

"Sure, Dad." Parker leaned back and checked to make sure that Booth was fully involved with the snack before reaching to the coffee table and grabbing his dad's phone. He held the phone next to his right side where it would be hidden, and waited until Booth returned and sat next to him, the bowl of popcorn between them. Quietly, Parker hit #1 on the phone's speed dial.

Brennan was completely engrossed in a documentary about Aboriginal tribes on her laptop when her cell rang. Looking at the called ID, she answered, "Booth?"

Parker covered the phone for a moment when he heard Bones answer, then waited a beat before continuing the discussion from earlier.

"So, Dad… I have another question about Bones." He said, louder than he intended.

Booth hit 'pause' on the remote and looked at Parker questioningly. "What is it, Bub? I thought we already went over this."

"Yeah, and I understand what you're saying, Dad. I just don't think it's a very good reason." Parker crossed his fingers and prayed that Bones hadn't hung up yet.

For her part, Brennan was indeed listening intently, realizing that not only did Booth not know his phone had called her, but that she was eavesdropping…but she couldn't bring herself to stop.

"Well, it's the reason you're going to have to accept. Bones and I can't date."

"But don't you like her, Dad? She's pretty." Parker tried to look innocent, but only succeeded in grinning.

"Of course I like Bones, buddy. And yes, she's beautiful. But it's too dangerous. The bad people we arrest would use a relationship between us against us, and I can't have that. It's just the way it is, like it or not."

'_He thinks I'm beautiful?'_ Brennan smiled. _'That's good to know.'_

Parker was young, but he wasn't stupid. "So what you're saying, Dad, is that if you didn't work together, then you would want Bones as your girlfriend?"

Brennan held on the line, waiting for Booth's answer with a fluttering in her stomach and baited breath.

Booth regarded his son closely. _'Something is up with this kid. He never takes an interest in my personal life like this, even for a pool.'_

Deciding that he would stick to his policy of always being honest with Parker, Booth finally answered. "Yes, Parker. I would. I love Bones."

Parker released the breath he didn't know he was holding, as Brennan did the same thing on the other end of the phone.

"You're stupid, Dad."

"What? What's that's supposed to mean?"

"Well, you guys get shot at and stuff all the time and you're not dating. How's dating going to change that? You'll get shot at more?" Parker was now genuinely confused. How could someone as smart as his dad and Bones not see it? "I mean, you and Mom always tell me that when you love someone you take care of them. So since you love Bones, you'll take care of her no matter what. Right?"

Letting his head drop onto the back of the sofa, Booth decided to go with the flow. "Yeah. No matter what. But there's one problem, Bub."

"What problem?"

"Bones doesn't love me, Parker. Which is why this conversation is over. Let's go back to the movie." Without letting Parker answer, Booth hit the 'play' button and the movie resumed.

Parker checked the phone and realized that Bones had hung up. _'She probably thought he called by mistake and missed the whole thing'_, he thought dejectedly.

Ten minutes later, the movie was interrupted again by a frantic knocking at the door.

"Parker, stay here. I'll be back." Booth peeked out the peephole. "Bones?" he said, shocked; as he threw open the door.

Without preamble, Brennan threw herself into Booth's arms and hugged him close. Never one to miss and opportunity, Booth wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. "Bones? Is something wrong? Did something happen?" He was genuinely confused.

Lifting her head to place her mouth next to his ear, Brennan whispered, "I love you, too."

Parker peeked around the corner, huge grin on his face as he watched his dad kiss his Bones. Then, he pulled out his own phone and sent a text to his favorite face-painting artist.

"Mission Accomplished."


	5. The Night at the Bones Museum

Sorry this has taken me so long to get to this one, but the holiday and life kind of got in the way. Well, that and the fact that I have two other stories going at the same time.

I was excited about this particular episode, because we all know that if it weren't for the squints there definitely would have been some kissin' going on. Damn them.

Anyway, as per usual, I don't own Bones. Cause if I did, there would have been some serious action going on down in that Anok exhibit.

* * *

The Night at the Bones Museum

Standing near the open bar, watching Brennan chat up the Egyptian ambassador, Booth was feeling a few different emotions. Pride, certainly. Bones had given a beautiful speech, and had even thanked him personally for his help in the case. Love, definitely. He'd never seen her look more gorgeous, and that dress….whew. The caveman in him wanted to say, "Nice rack, Bones!" but the gentleman won over. Barely. And finally, frustration. Intense, soul-eating frustration. He couldn't believe the timing of the squints. Just another 20 seconds and he knew that he would have been kissing Bones down in that exhibit. Damn it.

Turning away from the sight in front of him, he settled onto a stool at the bar and ordered another scotch. As the bartender sat the drink down, someone sat next to him.

"Hey G-Man, how's it going?" Hodgins swirled his glass at the bartender, ordering another scotch as well. "Dr. B gave a nice speech, huh?"

"Of course she did. I don't know why she was so nervous about it." Booth smiled slightly, still facing forward away from the bug and slime guy.

"Dr. Brennan was nervous? Wow. I never would have guessed that."

Booth winced a little, knowing he probably let slip something that Bones would not want advertised. "You didn't hear it from me. Seriously. I prefer having my balls attached to my body, thanks."

Hodgins laughed heartily and slapped Booth on the back, ignoring the glare thrown his way. "No worries, man. I know better. Even if you hadn't given me a heads up. Besides," Hodgins paused, giving Booth a sidelong look, "it's the least I can do since we interrupted you two earlier."

"What?" Booth wheeled on Hodgins, an incredulous look gracing his face. "Interrupted what?"

"Oh c'mon, man. You're not going to actually deny it, are you? I was the first one down the stairs, I saw you leaning into each other. Angie called for you before I could stop her, otherwise I would have left you two alone. I swear." Trying not to laugh at Booth's chagrin, he tried to change the subject. "So, you'd think they would have brought out the top shelf stuff for this little shindig, wouldn't you? But no, middle shelf all the way for the Jeffersonian." He raised his glass before draining the rest of the amber liquid. "Makes me wonder what they're spending all that donated money on, if it's not booze."

Booth stood and shook his head, absurdly grateful that Hodgins had verified what he had only suspected. "Thanks, man. I'll catch you later." He slapped Hodgins on the back and walked off, looking for Brennan.

Hodgins shook his head and held up his glass to the bartender. "Well, maybe there's hope for those two yet."

Booth found Brennan sitting at their table, talking to Angela with their heads closely together. He overheard Angela's loudly whispered, _"Oh, sweetie! I'm so sorry! I didn't know!"_ right before he stepped into their view.

"Hey Bones, Ang." He sat down across from them, trying not to blush under Angela's intense stare. "What's up?"

Angela gave him a feral grin and stood up. "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. I need to go…um, find Hodgins. He promised me a dance." Angela leaned into Booth on her way and whispered, "I'm sorry I interrupted…please don't let that stop you again!" Then she winked and headed off.

Booth took in Brennan's uncomfortable look before she glanced away, looking everywhere in the room but at him. He suddenly realized that not only had he been correct about their almost-kiss, but she seemed to be as disappointed as he was.

"So, Bones…you feel like dancing?" He tried a lower-wattage charm smile, not wanting to scare her off.

Brennan seemed to relax exponentially and smiled back. "Sure, Booth. I'd like that."

Booth stood, walked around the table and offered her his hand. "Then let's show them how it's done, Bones. C'mon."

When they reached the dance floor, the awkwardness Booth expected was nowhere in sight. He wrapped his arms around her, not even bothering to pretend that this wasn't a monumental step for them. Brennan placed her arms around him just as closely, and rested her head on his shoulder with a sigh. "This is nice." She whispered.

"It is." He agreed. "Your speech was fantastic, by the way. You had no reason to be nervous."

She smiled up at him and held him a little tighter. "Thanks, Booth. Really. I just did what you suggested and pictured everyone in their underwear. Nice boxers, by the way."

Booth snorted in shock. "Hey, Bones! That was a great joke!" He pulled back a little, still laughing in delight. "You really are hilarious sometimes."

Brennan grinned back in satisfaction. "I learned from the best. You really are quite amusing when I understand what you're saying."

Booth shook his head in amusement and continued to twirl her around the floor. They settled into a comfortable rhythm and didn't speak for several songs. Suddenly, a familiar pop song started, and Booth couldn't help but think of the lyrics as he rocked Brennan back and forth in his arms.

_After all the stops and starts_

_We keep coming back to these two hearts_

_Two angels who've been rescued from the fall_

_And after all that we've been through_

_It all comes down to me and you_

_I guess it's meant to be_

_Forever you and me_

_After all._

Booth wondered if something as sentimental as a love song could affect Brennan as much as it did him. He glanced down at her, and saw that something was going on in that brilliant brain of hers. Her eyes were closed and a small smile crossed her face…and suddenly, he realized that she was humming along with the song. He stopped thinking and just decided to react. Letting go of her waist, he grabbed her hand and pulled her from the dance floor, heading for the veranda. Checking to make sure no one else was there; he opened the doors and pulled Brennan out into the night air, closing the doors behind them.

Without preamble, Booth wrapped one arm around her waist, slid his free hand behind her neck and pulled her to him. "No interruptions.", he whispered.

And then he pulled her into what Brennan would only be able to describe later as the sweetest, sexiest, most delicious kiss she had ever received. She sighed into his mouth and leaned into his body, laying one hand on his chest and running her other through the short hairs on the back of his head.

Breaking apart only when the need for air was unavoidable, Booth placed his forehead on hers and looked into her eyes. "Bones?"

Smiling softly, Brennan continued to run her fingers through his hair. "Mmmm…that was amazing."

Booth released the breath he had been holding and dipped his head for another quick kiss. "Thank God. I was worried you'd punch me."

Brennan's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would I hit you, Booth? I tried to make it more than obvious that I was receptive to your romantic overtures. Did I not do it right?"

Booth chuckled and pulled her closely to him, stroking her back and resting his hand on her hip. "No, Bones. You did great. I obviously got the message. I just didn't want to scare you off."

"Oh." Brennan snuggled closer to his hard chest, reveling in the warmth of his body and trying to calm her hammering heart. "I would never run from you, Booth. Never."

Booth pulled her up for one more kiss, lingering on her lips a little longer, relishing the softness and resisting the urge to jump back and do a happy dance. "Thanks, Bones. That means everything to me."

Brennan leaned back and looked Booth in the eye. "You mean everything to me, Booth. I know it's not rational, but you do. Everything I am and will ever be is tied to you and what you are."

Booth heard the fear creeping into her voice, and hurried to soothe it away. "Temperance. Listen to me. Next to Parker, you are the most important person in the world to me. Everything I am and will ever be is tied to you as well. I'm not even sure where I stop and you begin anymore, and I don't care. I only know that I want you, now and always. Okay?" He nuzzled her neck and held her tighter.

"Definitely." Brennan eased into his kisses as he worked his way down her neck and headed for her chest. "Um, Booth…this is probably not the most appropriate place…for, um….oh, that's nice….this is not the place for….Booth!" She finally grabbed his head and moved it back so she could meet his eyes. "Let's go back to my place. Alright? I don't want to make love with you for the first time on the veranda at the Jeffersonian."

Booth grinned like a kid with candy. "Make love, huh?"

Brennan grabbed his hand and began pulling him towards the doors. "Isn't that what you do when you're in love with someone?"


	6. The Tough Man in the Tender Chicken

As far as I'm concerned, this episode is approaching legendary status with all the shipper moments it had. The "I would die for you, I would kill for you…" line, the hand holding, the final scene…just too much for my little shipper heart to handle. I wanted to take my time with this one, because I really didn't want to ruin it.

So I thought maybe a surprise was in order. Just a small one. Wink, wink.

I don't own Bones. Their loss.

* * *

The Tough Man in the Tender Chicken

'_That incessant knocking out there is really starting to piss me off', thought Brennan. 'After a night of almost no sleep, the last thing I want is an uninvited visitor at…Good God, 7:30 in the morning. Who the hell knocks that early on a Saturday morning'_

"Ugh." Rolling out of bed and grabbing a robe from the chair, Brennan stalked off to kill whoever was pounding on her door. After looking through the keyhole, she closed her eyes and began hitting her forehead on the door rhythmically.

"For Christ's sake, Sully! What are you doing here so early on a Saturday morning? And for that matter, what are you doing here?" Brennan flung the door open and turned around, giving him a silent invitation into the apartment. She headed for the kitchen to make coffee, not caring whether she was being rude or not.

"Well, hello to you too, Tempe." Tim Sullivan was genuinely perplexed. The Temperance Brennan he knew would have already been dressed and getting ready to go to her precious lab at this early hour. "I thought I would stop by and let you know that I was back in town, maybe see if you were interested in going to breakfast to catch up."

Brennan blew a piece of hair out of her face and glared at Sully, still trying to figure out what his true motive for appearing here without warning really was. "Sully, I am exhausted. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I just want to go back to my nice, warm bed. It's Saturday morning, after all. So, instead of playing games, why don't you have a seat, drink a cup of coffee with me, and try to be honest."

Sully took her advice and sat down on her sofa, not even trying to disguise his surprise at her demeanor. "Um, okay. I do have to say that I'm surprised you're not getting ready to go to the lab at this hour. I ran into Charlie from the Bureau and he told me that you weren't seeing anyone, so I figured that I wouldn't be interrupting anything…but I guess I should have called instead, huh?"

"Oh, so Charlie is suddenly an expert on my love life, huh? And what business is it of yours if I am or am not seeing anyone? You gave up the right to that information when you sailed away on that boat." Brennan handed him a cup of coffee, not caring whether it was made the way he liked it. She just wanted him gone.

"Aren't you going to have any, Tempe?"

"No. I don't drink that stuff." Brennan sat down as far away from him as she could, and waited for him to speak.

"Ohhkay. Tempe…Look, about my leaving, I asked you to go with me! It's not as if I abandoned you. We parted ways amicably, if I remember correctly." This whole conversation was not going at all how Sully had planned it. Once he had heard that Tempe was still single, he could barely contain his excitement. He believed that she had never been as open with any other man as she had been with him, and since he was planning on staying in DC to open his new sandwich shop, he was hoping to reconnect with the one woman he could never get out of his mind.

"Sure, let's call it "amicably". Whatever makes you feel better Sully, really. So can I then infer that the reason you're here is to try to get back together? Thinking I would simply fall into your arms without a second thought?" Brennan resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He really was insufferable.

"Well…" he tried to grin charmingly, but it only served to piss Brennan off even more. "I was hoping that since we had such a great connection, and it didn't look like you had found someone comparable to what we had, that maybe we could give it another try, see where it leads…"

"Well, you're right about one thing. I certainly haven't found anything comparable to what we had." Sully didn't even try to hide his grin at that tidbit. "I've found something much better."

He regarded her carefully, trying to gauge what exactly she was trying to say and whether it was true. "So are you saying that Charlie was wrong, and you have been seeing someone?"

"Yes, that is precisely what I am saying." Brennan looked at him coolly. "And as for the rest of it, it ceased being your business a long damn time ago."

"Bones? What the hell are you doing up at this hour? It's Saturday!" Booth, wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung grey sweats ambled into the living room looking adorably mussed and completely exhausted. When he saw Brennan's early morning visitor, he stopped in shock. "Sullivan? What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I think I could say the same thing to you, Booth." Sully tried to hide his utter devastation at Booth's sudden appearance, but did a miserable job, and Booth made a satisfied note of his distress.

"Really? And why is that? No one has seen or heard from you in over three years, and you think you can just waltz in here and interrogate me? Doubtful." He leaned over and kissed Brennan good morning. "Morning, gorgeous." The endearment fell from Booth's lips easily and with familiarity. "Is that fresh coffee?"

"Yes, but it's the cheap stuff. I prepared the pot of fresh ground Columbian for you, just hit the button." Brennan smiled up at him and stole another kiss, not hiding her obvious perusal of his well-toned chest and abs. "I made enough for both of us."

"Thanks, Bones. You're the best." Booth headed for the kitchen, one ear listening to the continuing conversation in the other room.

Sully stared at Brennan for a full minute before he could try to form a sentence that didn't sound snarky. "So, Tempe…that's why no one at the Bureau knew you were dating, huh? Afraid you'll get split up because of the FBI 'no dating your partner' rule?"

"Actually, Booth and I have only been together for about a week…not that it's any of your business." Brennan resisted the urge to kick his ass. No sense getting arrested by your new boyfriend for assaulting your old one.

"Oh? So, it's not that serious yet?" Sully's voice held more than a glimmer of hope.

Brennan smiled gratefully as Booth came back and handed her a steaming cup of coffee. "Oh, it's serious alright." She explained. "We've been practically dating for years."

Booth laughed at Brennan's explanation. "That's pretty good, Bones. And fairly accurate as well. As for the 'no dating' policy, that only applies to FBI employees. Bones is a contractor, not an official employee so we're good. And once again, none of your business."

He may be a lot of things, but one thing that Tim Sullivan was not was stupid. Or blind. He knew a lost cause when he saw it. "Well," he said, standing. "I guess this is my cue to get going. I won't say I'm not disappointed, but I am happy that you're happy, Tempe." As he headed for the door, Sully turned one more time and addressed Booth. "I hope you know what you've got. Don't make the same mistake I did."

"Count on it, Sully. Thanks." Booth held out his hand, shaking Sully's while opening the door for him.

Brennan waved as her former lover left, Booth closing the door behind him. "Well. That was interesting."

Nodding, Booth stood next to her, running his fingers through her hair absently. "Do you think…maybe, if we hadn't decided to quit being stupid, that you would have gotten back together with him?" While he was generally secure in most aspects of his life, Booth could readily admit that this new aspect of his relationship with Bones made him an insecure puddle of goo. He was still trying to come to grips with the reality that Brennan actually wanted him, and he was sensitive about it.

"Oh, I don't think so." Brennan stood and wrapped her arms around Booth, lying her head on his shoulder and rubbing lazy circles on his bare back. "Irregardless of the change in our relationship, I would still have been in love with you whether we moved forward with it or not. Sully coming back wouldn't have changed that."

"Wh-" Booth gulped and pulled back to stare into her eyes. "You're in love with me?"

Seeing the shock on his face, Brennan was genuinely perplexed. "I thought you knew that, Booth. I know I haven't said it, and you know how bad I am about these things.." Her explanation was cut off when Booth captured her lips with his, kissing her deeply and leaving her knees weak.

"I love you, too Bones. Completely."

"Prove it." Brennan grabbed his hand and led him down the hall towards her bedroom.

"I don't think that will be a problem, Bones. Not at all."


End file.
